Azalea has finally come of age and is ready to host her first Yuletide ball. Everything feels perfect, as if it were a wonderful dream-but that dream suddenly turns into a nightmare. Azalea's mother dies after giving birth to her twelfth child, Azalea's eleventh sister. The palace submerges to mourning, meaning no colors, no outside, and, worst of all, no dancing. Her father, the King, becomes more and more detached, leaving Azalea alone to care for her sisters. In a stage of rebellion, the twelve princesses discover an enchanted passage that leads them to an extraordinary pavilion, and allows them to meet Keeper, a man who had been trapped in the walls of the palace for centuries. Despite mourning, the girls dance there every night, making them happier then they had been for quite some time. But there's a price to pay. Keeper likes to keep things. A great take on the Twelve Dancing Princesses, and a whole lot darker. Excellent for those who love fantasy!